Card ejector case

ABSTRACT

A cardcase includes a rectangular casing open along its top and front and a plurality of open-backed, card-carrying rectangular frames nesting in the casing in retracted side-by-side positions and pivoted at their bottom front side corners to the casing bottom front corner. Each frame is spring urged to an advanced position external of the casing, exposing the rear thereof and is releasably locked in its retracted position by a pivoted catch member located in the casing and engaging either the upper or lower rear end of the retracted frame, and a finger-actuated release member slideably mounted on the casing rear wall cooperates with the catch member to retract it upon depression of the release member to release the corresponding card carrying frame which is swung to its advanced exposed position.

United States Patent Ehrensaal [54] CARD EJECTOR CASE [72] Inventor: Jay Ehrensaal, Forest Hills, NY.

[73] Assignee: Swank, lnc., Attleboro, Mass.

[22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1970 [21 Appl. N0.: 5,058

3,279,109 10/1966 Whittum.. ..40/67 X 2,268,095 12/1941 Tiebel ..40/67 2,592,289 4/1952 Joyner ..40/67 306,291 10/1884 Smyth ..40/67 Feb. 15,1972

3,262,417 7/1966 Zimmer ..40/65 X Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Richard Carter AttorneyWilliam R. Liberman [57] ABSTRACT A cardcase includes a rectangular casing open along its top and front and a plurality of open-backed, card-carrying rectangular frames nesting in the casing in retracted side-byside positions and pivoted at their bottom front side comers to the casing bottom front corner. Each frame is spring urged to an advanced position external of the casing, exposing the rear thereof and is releasably locked in its retracted position by a pivoted catch member located in the casing and engaging either the upper or lower rear end of the retracted frame, and a finger-actuated release member slideably mounted on the casing rear wall cooperates with the catch member to retract it upon depression of the release member to release the corresponding card carrying frame which is swung to its advanced exposed position.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEB IS m2 35419690 sum 1 or 2 /Z C ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to improvements in receptacles, and it relates particularly to an improved cardcase in which the cards may be selectively projected from the case for access and removal.

It is a common and widespread practice, particularly with the extensive use of credit cards and the like, for a person to carry about at all times a number of cards which are generally of a uniform standard size. These cards should be easily and readily accessible since they must be frequently exhibited and used as a stamp to transcribe or apply information carried thereby, many types of conventional types of devices being employed to transcribe such infonnation, in each case it being necessary to insert the card in the transcribing device. Accordingly, it is highly desirable that the cards may be rapidly selected, removed and replaced. The card-holding devices and arrangements heretofore employed and proposed possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. They are awkward and unattractive structures, inconvenient to use and otherwise leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved cardcase or similar receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved card-housing device wherein the cards are selectively accessible for observation, removal and subsequent replacement.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above nature characterized by its ruggedness, attractive appearance, reliability, ease and convenience of use, compactness and versatility.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a cardcase or holding device comprising a mounting member having a closure section, a plurality of cardholder frames having card insertion or access openings, means connecting said frames to said mounting member for individual movement between retracted positions with said openings registering with said closure section and advanced positions projecting from said mounting member with said card access openings out of registry with said closure sections, spring means uring said frame members toward their advanced positions, and selectively actuatable means for releasably locking said frames in said retracted positions.

According to the preferred form of the improved card-holding device, the mounting member comprises a casing including parallel transversely spaced sidewalls connected at their bottom and rear edges by bottom and rear walls and being open at the top and front thereof. The card-holding frames include channel-shaped top, bottom and front legs and are open at their rear to permit the insertion and removal of cards therethrough, with the borders of the cards registering with the channel-shaped legs. The frames are pivoted at their front lower comers to the casing front lower corner and are spring urged to swing upwardly and outwardly from the casing by respective hairpin springs. A plurality of swingable latching levers are positioned side by side in the rear of the casing and engage stops on the top or bottom legs of the respective retracted frames, and slide buttons mounted on the casing rear wall coact with the latch levers to retract a selected latch lever with the depression of a respective slide button and thereby release a corresponding frame which is spring swung out of the casing.

The improved cardcase is compact, rugged, reliable and of attractive appearance and is simple and convenient to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a rear perspective view of a cardcase embodying the present invention, one of the card-holding frames being shown in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal transverse sectional view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded front perspective view of the card frame and mounting assembly;

FIG. 5 is an exploded front perspective view of the card frame locking and release assembly;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded front perspective view of the card frame locking and release assembly thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 to 5 thereof which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved cardcase which comprises a relatively thin casing 11 formed of any suitable material, for example a synthetic organic thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric resin, and produced by injection or transfer molding or the like. Casing 11 includes transversely spaced parallel rectangular sidewalls 12 connected at their rear edges by a rear vertical rectangular end wall 13 and at their bottom edges by a rectangular bottom wall 14. The top and front end of casing 11 are open for substantially the full lengths thereof except for the short lip 16 at the upper rear comer of the casing, the openings joining at the upper front comer of casing 11. Integrally formed with rear wall 13 slightly above bottom wall 14 is a short forwardly directed horizontal shelf 17. A plurality of vertically offset, transversely spaced short vertical slots 18 are provided in rear wall 13.

A plurality of cardholder-defining frames 19 are housed, in their retracted positions, in side-by-side relationship in casing 11 and are individually swingable to an extended or advanced positions projecting from casing 11. Each frame 19 is of rectangular configuration with a length and height somewhat less than that of casing 11 and is provided with an access opening 20 located at, and extending for the full height of, the rear of frame 19. Each frame 19 includes a vertical front end channel shaped leg 21 and similarly shaped parallel top and bottom legs 22 and 23 respectively, extending rearwardly from the top and bottom of front leg 21, the channels in legs 21, 22 and 23 opening inwardly. Each frame leg includes an outer crossweb 24 and parallel inwardly directed outer legs 26. Reinforcing vertical crosspieces 25 are integrally formed with and extend between corresponding upper and lower channel legs 26 proximate their rear free ends and coplanar therewith. Formed in the rear ends of top frame leg channel legs 26 are triangular notches 27 having longitudinal or horizontal catch or stop defining bottom edges 28.

A bottom comer ear 29 provided with a circular opening 30 is integrally formed and coplanar with a channel leg 26 of each front frame leg 21, and depends vertically below bottom frame leg 23. A transverse pivot 32 engages the ear openings 30 and extends between and is suitably secured in the bottom front corner of casing 11. A wire hairpin spring 33 resiliently urges each frame 19 to its extended position. Spring 33 includes a coil section 34 engaging pivot pin 32, a first arm 36 bearing on the inside face of crossweb 24 of front frame leg 21 and a second arm 37 hearing on the top face of casing bottom wall I4.

Frames 19 are locked in their retracted positions and are individually releasable by a locking assembly located in the rear part of casing 11 and which includes a set of abutting side-byside vertical latch levers 38 disposed rearwardly of and in longitudinally alignment with respective frames 19. Levers 38 are provided with integrally formed medially positioned rearwardly directed knuckles 39 which are engaged by a transverse pin 40 supported between casing sidewalls l2.

Each lever 38 terminates at its upper end in a catch hook 41 including a lower upwardly rear-wardly extending upper arm 42. integrally formed at the upper end of each arm 42 is a forwardly directed catch-defining leg 43 including a horizontal flat, bottom toe 44, and an upwardly rearwardly inclined top surface 46. Levers 38 terminate at their lower ends in downwardly rearwardly inclined cam-defining legs 47 Hairpin springs 35, suitably supported in the upper rear comer of casing 1 1, include depending legs entrapped between rear wall 13 and lever arms 42, resiliently urging levers 38 in the counter clockwise direction to releasably maintain catch elements 43 in engagement with notches 27 of the retracted frames 19, with catch underfaces 44 abutting frame stop faces 28.

' A plurality of side-by-side release members 48,. 49 and 50 for selectively swinging respective latch levers 38 to release positions are vertically slidably supported on casing rear wall 13. Each release member 48, 49 and 50 includes a body member 51 provided with a flat rear face slidably abutting the front face of casing rear wall 13 and terminating at its top in a forwardly enlarged head 52 having an upwardly forwardly inclined underface 53 engaging and superimposed on the top face of a corresponding lever leg 47. Directed upwardly from body members 51 of release members 49 and 50 are successively higher posts 54 having rear faces coplanar with the rear faces of body members 51. Projecting rearwardly from body member 51 of release member 48 and from posts 54 are suc cessively higher rearwardly directed rectangular shanks 56 which vertically slidably engage corresponding slots 18 and have integrally formed therewith finger pieces or buttons 58 having flat front faces which are in slidable engagement with the rear face of easing rear wall 13. A helical compression spring 59 is entrapped between shelf 17 and the confronting face of each corresponding body member 51, the upper ends of springs 59 nesting in wells in the underfaces of body members 51 to urge the release members to their retracted raised positions.

Considering now the operation of the improved cardcase 10, each frame 19 holds a pair of back-to-back cards C of lesser length and slightly shorter height than the frame 19, the upper, lower and front borders of cards C being engaged by corresponding channel member legs 21, 22 and 23. The retracted card-carrying frame 19 are housed in casing 11 between sidewalls 14, the springs 33 being loaded and frame 19 being retained in their retracted positions by the catch ele ments 43 engaging notches 27. Levers 38 and rear wall 13 define a closure which prevents the separation of cards C from the retracted frame 19.

In order to expose and provide access to a selected card for observation or removal thereof, a corresponding button 58 is depressed to bring a cam surface 53 to bear against a respective lever leg 47 and effect the clockwise swing of a lever 38.

, Swing lever 38 retracts catch element 43 from a corresponding notch 27 to release a respective frame 19 which is swung counterclockwise by a spring 34 through the top and front end openings of casing 11 to an advanced position, fully exposing the frame rear end opening through which a selected card C may be removed and replaced. By manually swinging an advanced frame 19 clockwise to its retracted position, the bottom rear comer of frame top leg 22 bears on the corresponding lever cam face 46 to swing lever 38 clockwise to shift catch element 43 out of the path of frame top leg 22. When the respective frame 19 reaches its fully retracted position with a catch element 43 registering with notch 27, the lever 38 swings counterclockwise to bring catch element 43 in engagement with notch 28 to lock frame 19 in its retracted housed condition.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FlGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings differs from that first described primarily in the construction of the frame latching mechanism. Specifically, the improved cardcase 63 includes a casing 64, housing side-by-side card frames 65 in their retracted positions and hairpin springs 66 resiliently urge frames 65 to swing counterclockwise about their front lower corners about the front lower comer of casing 64 to retracted positions projecting from casing 64. Casing 64, frames 65 and springs 66 and their relationship correspond to structure and cooperation to casing 11, frame 19 and springs 13 respectively, of cardcase l0. Formed in the trailing free ends of the channel sidewalls of the bottom leg 67 of each frame 65 are a pair of similar transversely spaced notches 68 having horizontal upwardly facing bottom edges.

The frame locking assembly includes a plurality of side-byside angular levers 69 located proximate the lower rear comer of casing 64 and swingably supported at their elbows by a transverse pivot pin 70 mounted between the casing sidewalls. Each lever includes an upwardly directed top arm 71 and a downwardly forwardly inclined bottom arm 72 having a catch defining bottom front corner 73 with a flat bottom face. Depending from each lever bottom are 72 rearwardly of catch 73 is a leg 74. A suitably mounted helical compression spring 76 is entrapped between leg 74 and the rear wall 77 of casing 64 to urge lever 72 clockwise to its lock position with catch 73 engaging notch 68 of a retracted frame 65.

A set of side-by-side vertically slidable release members 78 is mounted on casing rear wall 77 and each includes a triangular prism-shaped body member 79 having a flat rear from abutting the front face of easing rear wall 77 and a forwardly upwardly inclined cam-defining underface 80 engaging the upper end of a latch lever arm 71. Rectangular shanks at successively higher levels are directed rearwardly from each body member 79 and from vertical posts 81 projecting upwardly from and integrally formed with body members 70. Shanks 80 slidably engage transversely and vertically spaced slots 82 in casing rear wall 77 and terminate in finger pieces or buttons 93 slidably engaging the rear face of casing rear wall 77.

The operation and use of cardcase 63 are similar to those of cardcase 10, as described above. Depression of abutton 8 3 bears a release member 78 downward to bring a cam face 80 against and to urge a latch lever 69 counterclockwise to retract catch 73 from notch 68 and release frame 65 which is swung to its extended position by spring 66. in returning such frame 65 to its retracted position the bottom rear comer of frame 65 bears on the upper inclined cam-defining face of lever arm 72 to swing it out of the path of frame 65. When frame 65 reaches its fully retracted position latch lever 69 is swung clockwise by spring 76 to bring catch 73 into locking engagement with notch 68 and urge the respective release member 78 to its raised position by the action of the lever arm 71 on cam surface 80.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations, additions and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

1 claim:

1. A cardcase comprising a mounting member having a closure section, a plurality of cardholder frames having card access openings, means connecting said frames to said mounting member for individual movement between side-by-side retracted positions with said openings registering with said closure section and advance positions projecting from said mounting member with said card access openings out of registry with said closure sections, spring means urging said frame members toward their advanced positions, and selectively actuatable means for releasably locking said frames in said retracted positions, wherein said mounting member comprises a casing including parallel, transversely spaced rectangular sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the bottom edges of said sidewalls and a closure section defining rear wall joining the rear edges of said sidewalls, a continuous opening extending along the top and front of said casing, said cardholder frames being of rectangular outline and housed in their retracted positions in said casing between said sidewalls, and said frame connecting means supporting said frames for swinging about a transverse axis proximate the bottom front corners of said frame and said casing.

2. The cardcase of claim 1 wherein each of said cardholder frames includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening afiording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card.

3. The cardcase of claim 2 wherein each of said cardholder frames includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card, and said lock means comprises a plurality of side-by-side latch levers swingably supported about a transverse axis in said casing proximate its bottom rear corner for movement between advanced and retracted positions, spring means urging said latch levers toward their advanced positions, each lever being provided with a catch element releasably engaging a corresponding frame bottom leg rear end when said frame is in its retracted position and said lever is in its advanced position, and a plurality of release members mounted on said casing rear wall and registering with respective latch levers, each release member being vertically movable to an advanced position to swing a corresponding lever and retract a respective catch element.

4. The card-holding device of claim 1 wherein each cardholder frame includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card, said frame connecting means comprises an apertured ear depending from the front bottom comer of each of said cardholder frames and a transverse pin engaging said apertured ears and located proximate the bottom front corner of said casing.

5. The cardcase of claim 4 wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of hairpin springs engaging said transverse pin, each spring including a first arm bearing on the rear face of said cardholder frame front leg and a second arm bearing on the casing bottom wall.

6. The cardcase of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of side-by-side latching arms swingably supported about a transverse axis in said casing for movement between advanced lock positions and retracted release positions, each of said card frames including a first catch element, and each of said latch arms including a second catch element engaging a corresponding first catch element when said respective frame is in retracted position and being movable with the retraction of said latching arm out of engagement with said first catch element.

7. The cardcase of claim 6 including a plurality of selectively actuatable release members mounted on said casing rear wall, each of said members registering with a corresponding latch am and movable between an advanced position urging a respective latch arm to its unlock position and a retracted position.

8. The cardcase of claim 6 including a plurality of selectively actuatable release members mounted on said casing rear wall, each of said members registering with a corresponding latch arm and movable between an advanced position urging a respective latch arm to its unlock position and a retracted position, and spring means urging said release members to their retracted positions.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein each of said cardholder frames includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card, and said lock means comprises a plurality of side-by-side latch levers swingably supported intermediate the ends thereof about a transverse axis in said casing, each lever being provided with a catch element at its upper end releasably engaging the rear end of a retracted corresponding frame top leg, and a plurality of release members mounted on said casing rear wal and registering with the lower ends of respective latch levers, each release member being vertically movable to an advanced position to swing said lever and retract said catch element out of engagement with a corresponding frame rear leg.

10. The card holder device of claim 9 wherein each of said levers is provided with a rearwardly upwardly inclined top surface lying in the path of movement of the rear end of a respective frame top leg.

11. The card holder device of claim 9 including spring means urging said releasing members toward their retracted positions. 

1. A cardcase comprising a mounting member having a closure section, a plurality of cardholder frames having card access openings, means connecting said frames to said mounting member for individual movement between side-by-side retracted positions with said openings registering with said closure section and advance positions projecting from said mounting member with said card access openings out of registry with said closure sections, spring means urging said frame members toward their advanced positions, and selectively actuatable means for releasably locking said frames in said retracted positions, wherein said mounting member comprises a casing including parallel, transversely spaced rectangular sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the bottom edges of said sidewalls and a closure section defining rear wall joining the rear edges of said sidewalls, a continuous opening extending along the top and front of said casing, said cardholder frames being of rectangular outline and housed in their retracted positions in said casing between said sidewalls, and said frame connecting means supporting said frames for swinging about a transverse axis proximate the bottom front corners of said frame and said casing.
 2. The cardcase of claim 1 wherein each of said cardholder frames includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card.
 3. The cardcase of claim 2 wherein each of said cardholder frames includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card, and said lock means comprises a plurality of side-by-side latch levers swingably supported about a transverse axis in said casing proximate its bottom rear corner for movement between advanced and retracted positions, spring means urging said latch levers toward their advanced positions, each lever being provided with a catch element releasably engaging a corresponding frame bottom leg rear end when said frame is in its retracted position and said lever is in its advanced position, and a plurality of release members mounted on said casing rear wall and registering with respective latch levers, each release member being vertically movable to an advanced position to swing a corresponding lever and retract a respective catch element.
 4. The card-holding device of claim 1 wherein each cardholder frame includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card, said frame connecting means comprises an apertured ear depending from the front bottom corner of each of said cardholder frames and a transverse pin engaging said apertured ears and located proximate the bottom front corner of said casing.
 5. The cardcase of claim 4 wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of hairpin springs engaging said transverse pin, each spring including a first arm bearing on the rear face of said cardholder frame front leg and a second arm bearing on the casing bottom wall.
 6. The cardcase of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of side-by-side latching arms swingably supportEd about a transverse axis in said casing for movement between advanced lock positions and retracted release positions, each of said card frames including a first catch element, and each of said latch arms including a second catch element engaging a corresponding first catch element when said respective frame is in retracted position and being movable with the retraction of said latching arm out of engagement with said first catch element.
 7. The cardcase of claim 6 including a plurality of selectively actuatable release members mounted on said casing rear wall, each of said members registering with a corresponding latch arm and movable between an advanced position urging a respective latch arm to its unlock position and a retracted position.
 8. The cardcase of claim 6 including a plurality of selectively actuatable release members mounted on said casing rear wall, each of said members registering with a corresponding latch arm and movable between an advanced position urging a respective latch arm to its unlock position and a retracted position, and spring means urging said release members to their retracted positions.
 9. The case of claim 1 wherein each of said cardholder frames includes parallel top and bottom legs connected at their front edges by a vertical leg and having longitudinal grooves in their confronting faces and is provided with a rear opening affording access to said frame for the insertion and removal of a card, and said lock means comprises a plurality of side-by-side latch levers swingably supported intermediate the ends thereof about a transverse axis in said casing, each lever being provided with a catch element at its upper end releasably engaging the rear end of a retracted corresponding frame top leg, and a plurality of release members mounted on said casing rear wall and registering with the lower ends of respective latch levers, each release member being vertically movable to an advanced position to swing said lever and retract said catch element out of engagement with a corresponding frame rear leg.
 10. The card holder device of claim 9 wherein each of said levers is provided with a rearwardly upwardly inclined top surface lying in the path of movement of the rear end of a respective frame top leg.
 11. The card holder device of claim 9 including spring means urging said releasing members toward their retracted positions. 